The Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), can be found in various regions of South America and in Panama. It is the largest living rodent in the world. Find out more!

This animal is related to agouti, chinchillas, coyphillas (a large, herbivorous, semi aquatic rodent) and guinea pigs. Capybaras are herbivores (more specifically, a graminivore – a herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on plants of the family Poaceae). They raze mainly on grasses, water plants and aquatic plants, as well as fruit and tree bark. An adult capybara will eat 6 to 8 pounds (2.7 to 3.6 kilograms) of grasses per day.

Capybaras are coprophagous, meaning they eat their own faeces as a source of bacterial gut flora and in order to help digest the cellulose in the grass that forms their normal diet and extract the maximum protein from their food. Additionally, they may regurgitate food to masticate (chew) the food again, similar to how a cow chews the cud. Capybaras do not follow the same route while grazing on consecutive days.

They are social animals, usually found in groups of between 10 and 30 (though looser groups of up to 100 can be formed). The groups are controlled by a dominant male who will have a prominent scent gland on his nose used for smearing his scent on the grass in his territory. Capybaras communicate through a combination of scent and sound, being very vocal animals with purrs and alarm barks, whistles and clicks, squeals and grunts.